Stock inlet



April 24, 1951 J. E. GOODWlLLlE I STOCK INLET Filed Sept. 5, 1 946 v INVENTOR. Jaw f iwpw/zus riteas tes e t n Patented Apr. 24, 1951 Thisinvention relatestoaa stockinlet for paper making machines equipped with 'aplural'iaty f rectifier rolls arranged intandem for successively conditioning stock asit. flows to the discharge-end of the inlet. Specifically, the invention deals 'with a paper machine-stock inlet divided into tandem stock compartments by baiiles and communicating with each other through rectifier rolls beneath the baffles,- so-that the stock must flowsuccessively in a substantially straight line from the bottom of one compartment through a rectifieriroll into the bottom of the next oom.- partment. ilhe headsof stock in thegs'uccessi-ve compartments canlcontrol; the rates of how .ofthe stoclg, but these rates; can be increased or deea e a es redwwithou c a in the general level of stock, by regulating the air pressure in the inlet. I v t V According to this invention a head box is provided to define a,closed stock chamber preferably immediately adjacent the breast I roll end of .a Fourdrinier type paper making machine. This head box functions to spread the flow of stock from a pi pe into the width of the slice opening tothdforming wire of the paper machine without excessively, disturbing the stock. A: plurality of vertical. battles are-providedin the headbox between the inlet pipe and the outlet ues ts divide the box chamber into compartments.

'Ifhese bafiies terminateabove a-horizontaL flat bottom wall of the box and a rectifier roll is positioned under each 'baflle. The stock flow is,

therefore, in a straightline from one-.compartstein to the next, and finally to the slice outlet. 'Ihe'rect'ifier rolls preferably decrease in diamet {from the inlet to the outlet end of the box arid lthe smallest'rectifier roll. is positioned im-.

mediately adjacent 'the slice outlet so that itw'ill walls o'f'thebox. Since all of" the stock must flow throughthe perforations of. all loil thegrectifierrolls, these perforations determine the: actiial' flow capacity of the inlet and are graduated tdmainta'ina uniform fiow rate across the entirewid'th of the machine. The larger perforatrons are dispcsed atT'the ends oflthe rolls where frictional drag effect on .thes'tock is greatest;

h'o'l'es then'diminish in'si'ze toward the mid- I1 ofthe rolls to" 'SlOWTl'p fiheiflbwithrollgh the mid-"sections to the samefrateas the-Qiiow when f-slrAraes PATENT a v 0Q BET" Iron; WorkaBeloit, Wis;., a= corporation ef Wis- I Ap1ilication -Septeinber 5, 1946, Serial No. 694,916

Zillaims. (01592-44) The rectifier 110118 prefer-ably also contain spaced parallel radial: disks creating separate new paths therethrough. These disks act as battles to destroy any cross flow-velocities that gmight 1 existinthe ponds of stock maintained in thel boxl -Itis, then, an objectofthis invention "tog pro-.

videastock inletior paper --mal ing machines rectifier roll and baflle arrangement "for stock boxes-of paper making machines wherein "the stock flows in .a straight line path and is-qso treated and conditioned before it -is-Ideposited on the ,iorming" surface of the machine that immediate formation can occur without further eonditioningof the stock.

Another' object of the invention is. to provide a head box for a Fourdrinier type paper making machine equipped with .a plurality of spaced vertical .bafiles each having arectifier roll positionedltherebeneath and controlling flow into andout of compartments created in the box by the .baflles.

A .still further object offlthe invention is to provide a "stock inlet with rectifier rolls arranged in tandem and in decreasing diametersto. dimin- V treating zone'for s'tock'iiowing to the finaloutlt of the box.

Qther and further objects of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of 1 the annexed sheet of drawingswhich, by way of a preferred example only, illustrates one embodiment .fthe invention.

Gn the. drawings:

Figure -1' is a somewhattdiagrammatic longitudinal "cross sectional view, with parts in ielevation,. 1of a stock inlet equipped with a tandem arrangement of rectifier rolls according-to this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view, with parts in plan, taken .along the. line II.J,.-I of Fig. .1.

lAs shown on the drawings: V

', In t Fig. i 1' the referencenumeral' LI 0 designates generally a head box or stock inlet according to this invention for a Fourdrinier paper making machine including a forming wire trained around a breast roll l2. The box In is composed of a bottom wall l3 about level with the upper run of the forming wire II and extending rearwardly from the breast roll l2. Side walls |4 extend upwardly from the bottom wall l3 and back and front walls I5 and |6, respectively,-extend between the side walls M at the front and rear ends of the inlet. The top of the inlet is closed by a top wall IT. The walls |3 to H cooperate to define a closed stock chamber I8. This chamber can be pressured with compressed gas such as air from an inlet pipe I9 in the top wall-l1. Alternately, the chamber can be evacuated through the pipe I9. M H

The forward end of the bottom wall I3 carries an apron 2|! which projects over the upper run of the wire H on top ofthe breast roll |2. The bottom of the front wall l6 carries a slice 2| depending into spaced relation from the upper run of the forming wire The space 22 between the forward end edge of the apron 20 and the slice 2| provides an outlet communicating with the wirel Stock flows through this outlet and under the slice 2| onto the wire to be set into a sheet on the wire. bottom wall l3 carries a horizontal bafile 23 projecting over the top of a sump 24 provided by a box-like inlet section 25 fed with stock from an inlet pipe 26. Stock flows upwardly through the sump 24 around the baffle 23 into the chamber H3.

The chamber is has a plurality of vertical baffles 21, 28, and 29 in spaced parallel relation extending transversely thereacross between the side walls l4. These baflles terminate in spaced relation above the bottom wall I3 and below the top wall ll. Chamber i8 is thereby divided into four compartments, [8a, Itb, |8c,and|8d,allcommunicating with a common top space in the chamber, and all communicating at their bottoms along a straight line, path. The common top space of the chamber preferably receives a rotary shower pipe P to kill lump-forming foam on the stock ponds in the compartments, to dilute the stock if desired, and to wash the chamber.

The rear end of the.

sleeve 36. A rear axle 38 projects through a bearing sleeve 39 carried by a housing 40 on the rear side wall M of the head box. This rear axle has a pair of sprockets 4| and 42 secured thereon. As shown in Fig. 1 the sprocket 4| is driven by a chain 43 from a suitable source (not shown). The sprocket 42 drives a chain 44 trained around a driven sprocket on the rectifier roll 3| and this rectifier roll also has a drivingsprocket driving another chain 45 trained around the driven sprocket on the rectifier roll 32. Thus all three rolls 30, 3| and 32 aredriven through sprockets and chains from a suitable source of power (not shown). 7

As shown in Fig.2, the tube 33 is perforated with circular holes which decrease in diameter inwardly from the ends of the tube to the mid- A rectifier roll at is rotatably mounted under the baffle 21. A second rectifier roll 3! is 1'0- tatably mounted under the baflle 23 and a third rectifier roll 32 is rotatably mounted under the baflie 29. The rectifier rolls 36 to 32 are of identical construction but have diminishing diameters with the roll 30 positioned adjacent the inlet sump 24 being of largest diameter and With the roll 32 positioned adjacent the outlet 22 bein of the smallest diameter. The rolls each have close running clearance relationship with the adjoining bafiles and walls of the inlet so that all stock flowing from one compartment to the next and from the compartment |8d to the outlet 22 must flow through the rolls.

Each roll, such as the roll 30 shown in Fig. 2, is composed of a perforated tube 33 and a plurality of spaced parallel'disks 34 extending transversely thereacross atequal intervals along the entire length thereof. The end disks 34 are. inwardly from the ends of the tube so that the tube has free end edges 33a. Axles project fromthe ends of the tube and are carried by the disks inside of the tube. *A front axle 35 projects freely through a bearing sleeve 36 carried in ahousing Won the front sidewall M of the box Ill. The axle-35 of courserotates freely in the'bearing section of the tube. The very end edges 33a. of the tubehave semi-circular holes 46 at spaced intervals therearound providing a scalloped edge having relatively close running clearance relationship with the side walls I4 of the head box. The holes 47 immediately adjacent the semiholes 46 are of relatively large diameter and the holes then decrease in diameter to relatively small holes 48 in the mid-section of the tube. These holes are so raduated as to create a uniform fiow rate through the rectifier roll under each baffle 21 to 29. Since the side walls l4 have friction drag effects on the flowing stock and tend to impede the flow rate, larger holes are provided at the ends of the roll to give freer flow conditions and. the stock in themiddle of the roll is impeded by smaller diameter holes. Y

r The disks 34 define radial flow chambers through the tube and the stock must flow transversely through each tube. The disks kill any cross fiow velocity of the stock.

Each rectifier roll has a somewhat restraining influence on the free flow of stock so that the heads of stock in the respective compartments Illa to ltd will be at progressively lower levels. The compartment |8d has the lowest head of stock and the compartment I841. has the highest head of stock.

Further, since the rectifier rolls decrease in diameter from the receiving end tothe discharge end of the stock chamber and since the baffles coact with the rolls in closely spaced relation, the flow orifices from one compartment to the next are of progressively decreasing size and stock must flow through these orifices and rectifier rolls at increasing velocities. The large diameter rectifier roll conditions the stock at a relatively low velocity rate and the succeeding rectifier rolls further condition the stock at increasing flow rates. As a result, rapidly flowing stock in fully conditioned form is fed to the outlet 22 and the stock in this rapidly flowing fully conditioned form can be immediately set into a web on the upper run of the forming wire without further conditioning. The machine can therefore be run at high speeds since the stock is fed to the wire in a form suitable for immediate setting.

From the above description it will be clear that this invention provides a stock inlet with a tandem arrangement of compartments joined at their bottoms through rectifier rolls preferable for immediate setting. Because the stock flow is in a straight line direct to the slice outquiet the stock flow in the straight line path.

If desired the stock chamber can be pressured with gas or the like to increase the flow rate but without disturbing the progressive increase in flow rate through the successive rectifier rolls. The gas pressure is equally applied to the tops of all of the ponds of stock in the compartments since these ponds are fully exposed to a common top space in the chamber. Alternately, the space can be evacuated instead of being pressured. This gas pressure or evacuation arrangement is varied at will by manipulation of control valves (not shown) and is effective to produce the desired pressure of stock at the slice while still maintaining an efficient stock level in the head box. Thus proper distribution of stock and water in a head box can best be obtained by maintaining the stock level within certain limits, and varying these limits was heretofore necessary to meet required slice pressures. Now, according to this invention, the slice presotherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stock inlet comprising a box defining a stock chamber having an outlet at the forward 6 rectifier rolls being of progressively decreasing diameter to coact with the baffles for providing flow passages through said rolls only between the compartments of decreasing size thereby increasing the flow velocity of stock between the compartments for feeding of stock at high velocity to the outlet. r

2. A stock inlet comprising a closed box hav ing a stock intake at one end thereof and a stock outlet at the other end thereof, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse vertical baflies in said box ahead of said outlet and spaced from the top and bottom of the box, said bafiles dividing the box into stock compartments, the

bottom end and an inlet at the rear bottom end, i

a plurality of baiiies in said chamber ahead of said outlet and terminating in spaced relation above the bottom of the chamber, a rectifier roll ber into a plurality of compartments between the inlet and outlet for the chamber, and said bottoms of successive baffles extending closer to the bottom of the box to provide gaps of diminishingheight between theintake and the outlet, a rectifier roll under each bafile in closely spaced relation with said bafile and the bottom of said box to fill said gaps and define restricted paths between said compartments, means for feeding stock through said intake to the bottom of the first compartment, an outlet slice at said outlet communicating with the bottom of the last compartment, said compartments having open communication at their top ends with a common space in the upper end of the box, and means for creating a pressure diiTerential between said closed box and the atmosphere.

JOHN E. GOODWILLIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,629,088 Aldrich May 17, 1927 1,775,905 Lang Sept. 16, 1930 1,890,634 Wenzel Dec. 13, 1932 2,186,761 Malkin Jan. 9, 1940 2,381,286 Hornbostel et al. Aug. 7, 1945 2,440,727 Rosmait May 4, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 189,059 Germany Oct. 11, 1907 254,873 Germany Dec. 17, 1912 306,845 Great Britain July 25, 1930 

